New York, NY – Former mayor Rudy Giuliani found himself in a heated exchange in a New York courtroom on Tuesday, where he accused the judge of making false assumptions about him as he attempts to comply with a court order to turn over the majority of his assets to two election poll workers who successfully sued him for libel.

U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman admonished Giuliani during a routine pretrial hearing in Manhattan, stating that Giuliani would no longer be allowed to speak out in court unless he was under oath. The judge questioned Giuliani’s lawyer about the delay in providing the title to a car that Giuliani had surrendered to fulfill a $148 million defamation judgment awarded to the two former Georgia election workers.

Despite Giuliani’s claims that he had applied for a duplicate title for the car, the judge raised doubts about his efforts given his background as a former U.S. attorney. Liman warned Giuliani’s defense team that any further interruptions would result in the former mayor being silenced and potential legal action being taken.

Giuliani protested in court, asserting that he had diligently sought a duplicate title for the car and contending that implications against him were incorrect. He maintained that his assets were tied up, rendering him without a car, credit cards, cash, or access to his own bank accounts due to legal restrictions.

The contentious exchange culminated in Liman’s warning to Giuliani that he must choose between representing himself in court or allowing his lawyers to do so, emphasizing that hybrid representation would not be permitted. The judge also refused to postpone a scheduled trial on the fate of Giuliani’s Florida residence and World Series rings, assets that he is seeking to protect from seizure as directed by Liman’s order.

Giuliani, who previously served as President Trump’s personal attorney, was found liable for defamation last year for falsely accusing two Georgia poll workers of ballot tampering during the 2020 presidential election. The workers faced serious repercussions, including death threats, after Giuliani’s baseless allegations of ballot manipulation.

Despite Giuliani’s defense team requesting a trial postponement due to his involvement in inauguration planning for President-elect Donald Trump, the judge denied the request, emphasizing that Giuliani’s personal commitments were not sufficient reason to delay legal proceedings.